T20 World Cup – Team India’s newly appointed mentor for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 turned himself into a throwdown specialist ahead of India’s crucial encounter against Babar Azam’s Pakistan on Sunday, October 24 at the Dubai International Stadium, Dubai. MS Dhoni joined Team India as a mentor ahead of the World Cup after leading Chennai Super Kings to their 4th IPL title in the 2021 edition.
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BCCI on Friday posted three videos of MS Dhoni giving throw-downs to Team India’s batsmen. “Revealing #TeamIndia’s latest throwdown specialist! @msdhoni | #T20WorldCup,” BCCI wrote in the caption of the photos. This is the first time when Dhoni has donned the mentor’s hat at the highest level. After the appointment, the BCCI had confirmed that the former India skipper will only be working for the ICC event.
India, champions in the inaugural edition played in South Africa in 2007 and finalists in 2014, will also have Afghanistan, New Zealand in Group 2
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Revealing #TeamIndia’s latest throwdown specialist! @msdhoni | #T20WorldCup 💪🏾🎯 pic.twitter.com/COZZgV7Ba6
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 22, 2021
Meanwhile, in the qualifiers, Namibia made history by qualifying for the T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12 stage in their very first appearance at the tournament after beating Ireland on Friday.
Namibia timed their chase of Ireland’s 125 for eight to perfection as a half-century from skipper Gerhard Erasmus and pyrotechnics from David Wiese led Namibia, to a phenomenal eight-wicket victory.
For sake of team, ‘mentor’ Dhoni becomes ‘throw down specialist#T20WorldCup21 #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/E9Htjsnvna
— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) October 22, 2021
Gavaskar on MS Dhoni as mentor for ICC T20 World Cup 2021 – ‘mentor can’t do much’, as ‘players need to use their brain’
“Mentor can’t do much,” Gavaskar told Aaj Tak. “Yes, he can help you prepare in change room as its a fast-paced game and if needed, help you tweak the tactic.”
“May be speak to batters and bowlers during time-out, so the move to employ Dhoni is a good one but Dhoni will be in the change room and it’s the players who have to perform the actual task in the middle. How they handle pressure would determine what the result will be,” Gavaskar said during the event.
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Check Out ⤵️https://t.co/68EPDscgzK
— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) October 22, 2021
Gavaskar had one piece of advice for the Indian team.“Just giving it your all at times might not be sufficient. With hard work you also need to use your brain.”
Mento MS Dhoni gives pep talk to struggling Hardik Pandya
On Wednesday, former India skipper and team India’s World Cup mentor MS Dhoni was seen giving important batting tips to struggling Hardik Pandya ahead of the warmup match against Australia. Pandya finished the warm-up game against Australia with a six. It seems that the little chit-chat with MS Dhoni just ahead of the match has worked out for Hardik Pandya!
BABAR AZAM SHOWED THE FINAL MATCH OF THE ICC CHAMPION TROPHY
Watch Full Video ▶️https://t.co/92S554d3NF#T20WorldCup #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/BXd7WjHxb4
— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) October 22, 2021
“MS was someone who understood me from the start: how I function, what kind of a person I am, what are the things I don’t like, everything. “He knows what kind of an individual I am. He knows me quite deep. I am very close to him. He is the only person who can make me calm. I never saw him as MS Dhoni the greatest. For me, Mahi is my brother. I respect and admire the fact that he was there when I needed him the most,” Hardik Pandya told ESPNCricinfo.
The all-rounder also stated that MS Dhoni is a life coach for him. “Staying with him, obviously, you learn to be mature, you learn to become humble. I have learned a lot by watching him. He never loses his cool,” he added.